Dragged Into Trouble

I wondered if I was hallucinating today because of the strange things happening to me and the peculiar things I was seeing. I told myself that I was still sleepy and hence saw very unusual things and felt different things that I wasn't supposed to feel.

I looked towards Efrain and noticed the calm smile that was splayed on his face. I set my lips in a thin line, remembering that every woman had been after him and he had been kind enough to meet them before refusing them.

'No, I can't go through that,' I convinced myself. 'I am happy where I am. I can't think of anything else.'

"Want to do this again tomorrow?" he asked in his soft, deep, cheery voice.

"Do you want to die?" I exclaimed at his audacity to go back to being the playful self he so loved being. "We're already late for work now because you decided to buy the drinks!"

"We'll arrive in good time since I can drive fast enough. But you're always worried as usual."

"Why would you exceed the speed limit on the road and get in trouble by having pulled out and paying extra for disobeying the rules?"

He let out a sigh and glanced towards the side-view mirror, eyeing me from the corner of his eyes. Then he let out a soft laugh at my worried expression. When he jerked the car to a stop at a junction, he brought his finger to the side of my head and gave it a powerful flick. I let out a sharp yelp and he, in return, just laughed.

"I wonder how we ended up with a Miss Two Goody Shoes," he teased, rubbing the sore spot of my head in a way that he messed up my tangled hair.

"And I have no idea how I got stuck with two idiots," I said and heard his laugh echo through every bone of mine, pulling him closer to my heart. "You two should be riding on a motorcycle like those daredevils and not bring me along with you. I have no death wish."

"Oh, that's a cool idea. We should give it a try sometime in the future. I shall make good money from those stunts than working in a boring place where my life is never in danger."

"Hey! Do you have to take everything literally?"

"Says the one who takes a joke seriously."

"You're seriously annoying!"

"It is also the reason you're with me right now since you love a little bit of mischief."

"But not to your extent! You're as good as a devil in an angel's form!"

"Thank you for the compliment. I shall take it wholeheartedly."

He taunted and irritated me until we reached the reception. He dropped me off first before he went to park the car. I quickly stepped into the washroom to wash my face which had turned red as the man had made me mad.

"Just how did I end up with him?" I muttered under my breath. "He is kind to everyone except his friends. Imagine what it must be like for those people to find out that he's a demonic angel?"

I dried my hands and face with the paper towels and heard someone say very close to me, "That is why Efrain is our friend."

I shrieked and put my hand over my heart. The last person I expected was the woman who was nearly as mischievous as him or even worse.

"Yusra!" I said with a small sigh. "What brought you here? How did you know I would be here?"

"What?" she asked staring at me like I was a clueless idiot. "Did you think I won't be able to find you when you kept your mobile location on? I told you many times to keep it switched off.

"Seems like the two of you went out without me as I was held back in the office to arrange the department head's things before she left. How mean of you to leave your friend behind."

"Well, it's not like I usually go out and he said he wanted me to go out with him, so I obliged."

"How blind you are. Come along already, you are in great trouble."

"This is another of your pranks, isn't it? I am totally not falling for it."

When my phone started to ring, I gulped. She wasn't truly not lying this time, because the one who was calling me was the CEO. I stood there, shock written all over my pale face. Yusra looked on at me with raised eyes, questioning me with her eyes if I was going to keep standing there like a statue.

I put the phone to my ear and the first thing I heard was a bark.

"Where the hell have you been?" yelled the male voice. "Why do you not answer your phone anymore?!"

I sent a death glare towards Yusra who had a smirk playing on her lips. When my eyes met hers, she burst into guffaws. If it weren't for my good recognition skills, I would have never known who was who even on the call.

"Efrain, how the hell did you mess with my phone?" I asked with exasperation. "This is really annoying."

"I'm sorry that it is, but I need your help to get me out of trouble that I knew was coming. It seems like the CEO wants to meet both of us. I knew that you would only pick it up if it looked urgent."

"And you sent Yusra here to make it seem appealing. I should have guessed. The two of you and your underhanded methods."

"Get here quickly! I can't be the only one in trouble when you came along with me."

"You're crazy if you think I shall save you this time. You are the one who suggested it and made me go along with you. Screw you."

"Aye, Miss Head of Finance, you should take your colleague's side, especially since he belongs to your department."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Wait for me. It sucks to be your saviour like as though I'm the knight in shining armour and you're the damsel in distress."

"Hey! That's totally —!"

I cut the call short and looked in the direction of the door. The silhouette standing there with short hair was snorting about our conversation. She had been eavesdropping on the whole thing despite being outside the blurred glass door.

I turned to take a look at myself in the mirror. Recollecting what the sweet man had done during lunchtime, I decided to let go of my long hair that came until my waist. I side partitioned my hair, straightened my clothes and pushed my glasses up my nose. I let out a sigh and left the mirror that showed a woman who would never look pretty in anyone's eyes.

"Oh, you different suddenly," she said in surprise. "Did he make your heart flutter?"

"If you already know about it," I said with an exasperated sigh whilst following the silly woman out the door, "I would advice you to keep your mouth shut and mind your own business."

"Aren't you curious for how long I knew or what I'm going to do from henceforth to make the two of you meet more often?"

"Don't make me swear as you guys do. I learnt enough bad habits from you people and have seen enough of this notorious world from your eyes. Just let me be and let me figure it out."

On reaching the floor, I saw a most gruesome sight. I couldn't believe that the CEO and Efrain were having a staring contest.

'Did he call me to watch the show or did he call me to release him from his grasp?' I questioned myself. 'That seems rather impossible since I was out as well.'

"Ms Rina Denver," came the rough, deep voice of the CEO, freezing me right at my spot. "Is this how your department will be acting under you? I thought you were rather capable but it looks like you are taking advantage of your position on your first day."

"I apologise for the slip-up, sir," I said with a bowed head. "It is my first time being one and it is taking me a lot of effort to understand the job around me."

"Is that why you came late into the office after your break?"

"Yes, sir. The stress was a little painful to bear so I took a lot of time out this time. I am very sorry for my state of mind today due to my lack of sleep. I promise I shall be more careful henceforth."

"If you're late for the presentation tomorrow, you can expect yourself to be out of here before you step foot in the office building."

I gulped at the thought and immediately answered, "Yes, sir. I shall be on time tomorrow without being delayed by a minute."

"In my office," he ordered me, passing another hard stare towards Efrain. "Now. And a repeat of this shall cost you your job, Mr Fernandes. I hope the rest of the department is aware of this."

I glowered at the two of my colleagues, who seemed to be having the time of their lives by laughing at me getting scolded by my supervisor. On finding my eyes on them, they cleared their throats and took off on their feet to get their jobs done.

I made a mental note to take points off their evaluation as they had dared to trick me and put me through immense trouble. Then I dragged my feet towards his black room.

I cracked my knuckles in fear of entering that room and letting myself be devoured by his statement. My mind started to imagine all sorts of illusions of being fired right away, being worked overnight for the rest of the week or month, or getting my weekends cut short.

I shook my head to remove them and then with a small gulp, I knocked on the door as he had said earlier. I ended up setting my hair properly as he wanted me to look presentable.

"Come in," sounded his dull, deep voice, making me wary of him again.

With a deep breath, I entered the room and softly click the door shut behind me.

"Take a seat," he said in the same bored tone, looking at the computer and the keyboard, where his fingers clicked on the keys as quickly as lightning for me.

"Is something wrong, sir?" I asked in a sweet and polite voice with slightly raised eyebrows.

"More than wrong," he replied, turning around on his chair and dragging his chair to face me after leaving his desk at the computer.

I held my breath and pursed my lips, wondering

"Are you here to seduce men?" he growled in a low voice, turning me alert.

"N-no, not at all, sir," I said, taken aback at the way he put in his word with a straight face. "Is—"

"Then keep your hair tied at all times. Unless I have asked you to do so for some event, everyone should follow those rules here. This is an office, not a party hall. Except for your attitude, you need to make everything else right."

'So particular in everyone's fashion,' I thought to myself, mentally rolling my eyes. 'I don't understand why it bothers him.'

"I take pride in fashion," he said in an arrogant tone, answering the question lingering in my mind, "especially since we work in an industry that focuses on the essence of fashion. So every person must be dressed well, and if they need such aid, I shall be glad to provide it. I am sure the department in charge of fashion would agree to volunteer."

'Only because you're the CEO and can order everyone around,' I completed the sentence that had an additional phrase to it. 'Does he have some mind-reading ability or is my face as readable as a book?'

"I hope you shall take the lessons willingly and fix up your presentability," he said in the same daunting tone as he shifted his chair back to the computer table. The flicker of light made me see yellow eyes and I blinked, shaking my head lightly and hoping he hadn't seen it.

"I hope I see you in better condition tomorrow," he continued, without bothering to glance at me. "There's already a class that's going to be held in room 12. I hope you shall take it to earn your points and see where you stand amongst the rest."

'What is with him?' I questioned my blank mind once I exited the. 'Wasn't he the one who said look presentable? And what was that? I am seeing too many things today. I hope I won't see anything extraordinary during the class because of Yusra stealing my sleep.'